US Contributes Additional $482.05 Million To UN Refugee Agency

4/12/2012 11:51 PM ET

The United States on Thursday announced a second contribution of $482.05 million toward the 2012 operations of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The United States' initial contribution of $125 million was announced on December 29, 2011 along with subsequent funding of $28.2 million toward emergency appeals this fiscal year for vulnerable populations from Syria, Sudan, South Sudan, and Mali. These contributions are funded through the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, and help advance UNHCR initiatives worldwide.

The U.S. funding will support refugee returns to countries such as Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo; local integration and resettlement; and protection and life-saving assistance. U.S. funding also supports the provision of water, shelter, food, healthcare, and education to refugees, internally displaced persons, and other persons under UNHCR's care and protection in countries such as Iraq, Yemen, Nepal, Pakistan, Georgia, South Sudan, Chad, and Kenya.

Geographically, the contribution will mainly support UNHCR's Annual and Supplementary Program activities in Africa and the Middle East.

In 2011, the United States contributed more than $690 million to UNHCR through multiple tranches, a figure which included funding for on-going operations as well as special appeals for emergencies. We continue to salute the vital work of UNHCR, its many NGO partners, and refugee-hosting countries in providing protection to displaced populations around the world, the US State Department said.